> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.theblockchainlibrary.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Blockchain in healthcare: A systematic literature review, synthesizing framework and future research agenda

> This systematic literature review provides a comprehensive synthesis of blockchain applications in healthcare, categorizing existing research into distinct appl

# Blockchain in healthcare: A systematic literature review, synthesizing framework and future research agenda

This systematic literature review provides a comprehensive synthesis of blockchain applications in healthcare, categorizing existing research into distinct appl

## Abstract

This systematic literature review provides a comprehensive synthesis of blockchain applications in healthcare, categorizing existing research into distinct application domains such as clinical data management, pharmaceutical supply chain, and insurance. The authors perform a rigorous evaluation of the state of the art, mapping current academic discourse to a structured framework that identifies both the technical capabilities and the socio-technical limitations of implementing distributed ledger technology (DLT) in medical settings. By analyzing the landscape of peer-reviewed literature, the study highlights a prevailing trend toward research in data integrity and supply chain transparency. The authors conclude by articulating an evidence-based research agenda that prioritizes scalability, cross-institutional interoperability, and the alignment of DLT architectures with healthcare-specific regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR. This work is essential for researchers aiming to understand the current research trajectory and the gaps that remain between theoretical proposals and large-scale deployment.

**Authors:** M. Agbo, Q. Mahmoud, J. Eklund

**Publication:** Academic Paper

**Publication date:** 2020-01-01

## Key findings

* Existing research is heavily concentrated on data provenance and pharmaceutical supply chain integrity.
* A lack of standardized governance models remains a primary hurdle for widespread blockchain adoption.
* Scalability and regulatory compliance are the most critical challenges identified across studies.
* Systematic synthesis suggests a shift toward hybrid architectures that combine public and private blockchain features.

## Citation

M. Agbo, Q. Mahmoud, J. Eklund (2020). Blockchain in healthcare: A systematic literature review, synthesizing framework and future research agenda. Academic Paper. [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166361520305248](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166361520305248)

## Related knowledge

* [ABI](/generated/v2/glossary/abi) — glossary
* [ABI](/generated/v2/glossary/abi) — related-glossary
* [AI Provenance](/generated/v2/glossary/ai-provenance) — glossary
* [AI Provenance](/generated/v2/glossary/ai-provenance) — related-glossary
* [Data Provenance](/generated/v2/glossary/data-provenance) — glossary
* [Data Provenance](/generated/v2/glossary/data-provenance) — related-glossary
* [How Blockchain Architecture Is Quietly Solving Real Business Problems](/generated/v2/topics/how-blockchain-architecture-is-quietly-solving-real-business-problems) — article
* [How Blockchain Architecture Is Quietly Solving Real Business Problems](/generated/v2/topics/how-blockchain-architecture-is-quietly-solving-real-business-problems) — related-article
* [How DAOs Are Evolving: The Next Phase of Decentralized Governance](/generated/v2/topics/how-daos-are-evolving-the-next-phase-of-decentralized-governance) — article
* [How DAOs Are Evolving: The Next Phase of Decentralized Governance](/generated/v2/topics/how-daos-are-evolving-the-next-phase-of-decentralized-governance) — related-article
* [Layer 3: The Next Frontier in Blockchain Scalability](/generated/v2/topics/layer-3-the-next-frontier-in-blockchain-scalability) — article
* [Layer 3: The Next Frontier in Blockchain Scalability](/generated/v2/topics/layer-3-the-next-frontier-in-blockchain-scalability) — related-article
* [Model Provenance](/generated/v2/glossary/model-provenance) — glossary
* [Model Provenance](/generated/v2/glossary/model-provenance) — related-glossary
* [Provenance](/generated/v2/glossary/provenance) — glossary
* [Provenance](/generated/v2/glossary/provenance) — related-glossary

***

**Canonical knowledge ID:** `research:blockchain-in-healthcare-a-systematic-literature-review-synthesizing-framework-and-future-research-agenda`